We need opinions please:)))))!!!!

Hello everyone, so my fiancé and myself fell in love with Couples!!! I am 90% sure we want to go with CSA but I'm still debating them or Negril. We are a young couple I'm 25 and he is 28, we will be there for our honeymoon))!! We are definitely a laid back couple who loves the sun, beach and relaxation. We love to dance and have a few drinks, nothing to out of control lol!! What would you all recommend for the best couples??? I have done my research and I'm so torn....to me it sounds like CSA is the favorite!! Thank you All so much!

CSA will probably be wonderful for you. The only thing to consider is if you want an au naturel area - CSA is the only Couples resort in Jamaica without an au naturel area. BTW, I highly recommend trying the au naturel experience while in Jamaica - it is amazing and it is why we will never go to CSA (except for an afternoon of trading places!). We will be going back to CN in October. We looked into going to another resort but, our love of Negril's beaches and an au naturel area brought us back to CN! Good luck and have a wonderful vacation - you'll love Couples!

Well we've tried three of the four and will be trying CSA next year. So far we like CN the best. We have done a day to CSA and just find the beach at CN to be better. It is deeper and quieter with more shade available. (No hunting for a spot.) We don't feel the need to wander to other places (Which is a plus for CSA) and only really leave the resort to golf or go for a walk.

If the beach is your thing you should stay in Negril as the beaches on the Ochie side just don't compare. The golf is much better on the Ochie side and there are more attractions IF that is what you like.

We first went to CSS and haven't tried the other couples resorts. CSS is so romantic, beautiful, full of hidden spots and nooks and crannies. Even at full capacity, you feel like the only couple there.

Hubby is 29 I am 30 we were looking for same tho vs as you and also torn between CSA and CN. Decided on CSA as it seems has better beach and more of a tropical feel to the layout and rooms then CN does. Best thing to do is lol at photos of each and pick what calls to you. You probably can't go wrong with either! It seems CN has a better pool atmosphere then CSA but that didn't make a difference as we are beach people. Good luck!! We will be at CSA October 6-13!!

I don't know if I can help you, but I was in your EXACT same situation a couple of months ago...

Myself and my long-time boyfriend weren't sure of which direction to go (CSA or CN). We're both in our late 20s, and like yourself we are laid back, have fun and enjoy a drink or two (nothing too crazy). We ended up choosing CSA because the positive reviews and feedback we received from forums like this one (Couples/TA/travel agents). It sounds like you've done a great deal of research yourself, so I won't go into too much detail, but here are some thoughts...

The impression I got was that CSA tended to draw a *slightly* younger crowd (particularly in the summer months when rooms are cheaper and weddings are popular) - this wasn't too much of a factor for us when making our decision (all ages are fun!), but it was still good to know. I also got the impression that CSA has a slight edge over CN for nightlife (if only because the resort is a little bigger). The biggest factor affecting our decision to go to CSA over CN is that we like to explore (and do so on a budget) so the location on the 7 mile beach was a natural choice for us...

Here's our list of reasons why we chose CSA:

(1) Heard from a big bunch of people around our age who went to CSA, and loved it.
(2) We like to swim. There's a lap pool at CSA, and the water is supposedly a little deeper along the beach.
(3) The beach... and proximity to bars/shops along the beach.
(4) The size. Big without being 'too' big.
(5) The gym. I like to work out, so the gym is a nice plus.
(6) Lush grounds. Naturally gorgeous.
(7) Verandahs. Um, who doesn't love a verandah?!

Here's a list of reasons why I MIGHT reconsider, and go to CN:

(1) Reviews. The feedback lately for CSA (mainly service) hasn't been wonderful. The reviews for CN have been nothing short of amazing these days (this is a little discouraging for anyone who has recently booked a trip to CSA).
(2) The pool. Okay, so I'm not really a pool person, but the CN pool does look a little nicer/larger - a little more "resort-y" (which is kind of cool).
(3) Size. CN is a little smaller, so it might be more conducive to meeting people... if you're social people.
(4) Water bottles. This is such a little thing, but I thought I read somewhere that CN (or maybe it was CTI?!) issues free re-usable water bottles. This was something I read in passing, so I have no idea if this is actuallytrue... but if it is, it's very smart).
(5) Rooms. It seems there are fewer criticisms for the CN rooms than CSA rooms lately.

I think anyone on this board (repeaters, especially) will tell you that both CSA and CN are good choices. From what I hear, almost everyone who goes to Couples (regardless of age) seem pretty laid-back and fun, so that's already a plus for either location.

The best advice I got was to decide what's important to you, and then "go with your gut". I'm hoping the advice holds true. I guess I'll know in a couple of months!

A vacation is what you make of it, so I think you'll have a great time no matter what you choose... Have fun deciding!

Sun, beach and relaxation are describing CSA to a T! The entertainment fits some and not others. If you want more i ngiht life than Couples offers there are local establishments that have a reggae party almost every night. You can check out the negril.com message board for experienced travelers viewpoints on food, drink, entertainment, drivers, day trips, etc. The thing we love about the CSA beach is that we can walk towards town to sample the local flavor or let sand gravity take hold at CSA and be perfectly happy either way. We are coming back home for the 5th time this October and cannot wait. We are dive certified and usually go almost every day on at least one dive and there are a myriad of other watersport activities to partake in. You will love it no matter which resport you choose, but CSA is our favorite.

Congrats on your upcoming honeymoon. You really can't go wrong at either CSA or CN. Since you are "90% sure" that CSA is the resort you want to go with then why not round up to 100% and go with it? Both resorts have beautiful beaches (CSA's is longer but not as deep when compared to CN) with the most awesome sunsets imaginable. Both are relaxing but CSA has the Aura Nightclub/Disco with music to dance to every night and sing-alongs around the piano with Ultimate Chocolate that might be more attractive to those who are younger and love to dance. So, our vote would be CSA. But, if you want to check CN out, be sure to sign up for "Romance Rewards" so that you can do a day visit over to see what the other resort has to offer. Who knows...you may need to plan a honeymoon at another Couples Resort next year so you can join the ranks of those who've been to all 4 on the island of Jamaica...not to mention the one in Barbados!!

I have been to both, so I will try to give you the best info to make your decision. We went to CSA in March of 2011 for my sister's wedding and CN this past December for my wedding! Both are fantastic resorts, but here are some comparisons that might help you out.

* Couples Negril is much smaller and not so spread out. CSA is very spread out and you have to walk quite a ways to the restaurants.
* We never had a problem getting loungers on the beach at CN. Had a little trouble at CSA. It also could have been the time of year.
* The beaches are very similar. Lots of starfish at CN and lots of Shells at CSA. CSA has more venders and through traffic.
* CSA is better for walking down the beach. There is more entertainment on the walks and more things to see since there are lots of resorts on 7-mile beach.
* CSA has a buffet every night, so if you don't like your dinner at one restaurant you can go to the buffet. CN has a dinner buffet a couple times a week.
* CSA offers an a la Carte breakfast at one restaurant, as well as a buffet. CN just offers a buffet.
* You can get the top of the line room at CN for MUCH cheaper than you can at CSA.
* Both had wonderful Catamaran cruises!
* Drinks are better at CSA.
* CN is much quieter, more relaxed atmosphere.
* We seemed to like the staff better at CSA.
* We had a problem with ants at CSA. None at CN.

These are the main differences that we noticed. I liked both resorts for different reasons. If I had to choose, I would probably say CSA is slightly better because of the drinks and staff! You can't go wrong either way though!

Whatever resort you are leaning towards should be the one to go with. You will love either resort. Our favorite is CSA for the beach, romantic and laid back vibe and lots of bar and food choices. Good luck deciding. I think you already know, but just need to pull the trigger Congrats on your wedding!

Welcome to the club we are 27 and 29 and we are torn between CTI and CN! We were married at CSA five years ago and enjoyed our time there, but it is a quiet resort. The night life seems to die down around 1030 where you have a choice to go to the "club" but when we were there it was pretty dead. so we found our own entertainment and spent the nights in the hot tub and swimming in the pools, then chatting up the people at the grill until all hours. So we did have a great time but don't expect lively entertainment once the main show ends. I don't think we will return to CSA this trip because we were hoping for more action at either CTI or CN but it really depends on who is at the resort during that time. We aren't big into partying but we do enjoy a few drinks with people after 11pm.

You have described a great vacation at CSA perfectly. One thing to consider, if you are wanting to go au-naturel on the beach you will need to go to CN, no nude beach at CSA. However if that is not something you are looking for or have to have then welcome to CSA. If you are beach people then you have found a home for sure. Just enough night life at the Aura lounge or nightly entertainment to suit most of us looking to have a few cocktails and dance in a club type atmosphere while on vacation. Great food, beautiful grounds and just a very cool and relaxed place to spend a very romantic honeymoon.

We've been to both resorts (CN twice and CSA once for our wedding 4 years ago)... and although we are older, the most compact and centralized and relaxing resort is CN. CSA is a longer beach and more spread out... whereas CN is within the "bloody bay" where the water is more calm... almost like being in a pool... where you can relax and float on the floaties all day long. Water skiing in the bay is fantastic!

That being said, there is more to do at CSA... but can be just as relaxing... and offers a little more to do with you being younger...

I would probably start out with CSA... take the "trading places" day to CN... and plan your next trip. You will be hooked... and will be booking again with Couples.

You can't go wrong with either of those two resorts on the Negril side.

We just returned from our first visit to CSA at the end of March. I could not imagine a better place for your honeymoon! We absolutely loved our stay at Swept Away. We had an Atrium room and loved it! It felt very private and romantic- like our own little bungalow in paradise!

Hi A.Evans,
What a difficult choice -- and one that you can't go wrong with. They are both wonderful, just different. Many or most of the differences have already been noted in other replies, so won't duplicate. But I do have the perfect answer. (realize it is an option that unfortunately everyone can't make due to many reasons). But it is the choice we make: Go to both. We spend one week at CN and one week at CSA. We love both and can name many advantages of each. Again no wrong choice...

On alternate trips we go to the other side of the island to CSS -- Again wonderful, but different also. Those three (CN, CSA, and CSS) are our favorites.

As someone stated in their post, your vacation is what you make it, and you can make it at either CN or CSA. No worries...enjoy. And have a drink on us

You didn't mention which room type you are considering. We just went to CSA in October 2012 for the first time. We've also been to CN 5 or 6 times and CTI 3 times. We had a great time at CSA but I was a little disappointed in the room. We had a garden verandah room and it was in one of the older buildings and it was very close to the road. The road noise was alot worse than I thought it would be so if we went back to CSA I would probably go with an ocean verandah room or somewhere off the road. We do prefer CN though because of the great staff and great beach but you can't go wrong at either place.

My husband and I were at CSA in June of 2011 and CN in June of 2012. When we first vacationed in Jamaica we stayed in Negril at a different hotel and walked all the way to CSA and could not believe how beautiful it was! We were married in 2010 and thought about CSA as the best place for a honeymoon, but decided on staying on the different side of the island in 2010.

We stayed in an atrium suite at CSA and thought it was very romantic with the shutters and large veranda with your very own hammock. There are no TV's in this type of room, but my husband and I prefer that. The resort is large and spread out so you can really explore. There are more restaurants at CSA. We also loved the fitness facility, which has its own lap pool and plenty of courts for tennis and racquetball. We didn't use the spa, but it seems to be the most beautiful of all the resorts in the pictures.

We went to CN with my sister and her husband last year. I think because we were with more people it seemed to be more of a social resort. There is a lot always going on around the pool and this seems to be the center of all activities.

Whichever resort you choose, Couples does it right! We have been going to couples every year since we first went in 2011.

I dont think you should stress so much on picking a resort with a younger crowd. My husband and I are in also in our mid 20s and we had just as much fun with the older groups of folks as we did with the younger crowds at CTI. It seems like everyone mingles pretty fluidly. Everyone is so friendly and just as happy to be on vacation as you will be lol.

Not that you said that this is what youre looking for but.... if you want a younger crowd to "party" with, couples is not the resort for you. Couples is definitely not "spring-breaky". And frankly, if it ever becomes that way, we will stop going. just sayin.

We went to CN the last 4 years, and managed to go to Swept Away for the first time last year as well. After getting back home and having our post vacation debriefing, OK we were crying profusely and lamenting the fact we were not at Couples, we decided that the only things we did not care for at Swept Away were so minor that this year we would stay 6 nights at Swept Away and then go to CN for 7 nights. Next year we will reverse the nights. I think you will love Swept Away, but also would have loved CN.

Wow, thank you to everyone that gave us your feedback!!! As far as the rooms go we are definitely going with the Atrium Suite. I have read a lot of bad reviews on the garden suites like some have you had mentioned. I don't want to hear traffic or a noisy street on my honeymoon!! CONGRATS Snowball on your marriage))!!! Yes, if you don't mind please come back and fill us in!!! @Jennifer PAtterson Koch...we are the same way!! I love pools but we prefer the beach anyhow!!! @ mellow you were a huge help thanks so much and have a blast))! Ernurse 22 thanks for all the helpful feedback!!! Rum&sunshine hmmm yea I definitely didn't ask where the younger crowd hangs out. If I wanted a out of control spring break vacation I would go to cancun! We actually get along with anyone really!! We are very talkative and outgoing people. Someone mentioned the nude beaches... Yea I'm not to big on them lol! I don't mind them or anything but nothing is coming off of me ! Thank you all so muchhhhh!! You made our choice that much easier. CSA it is!!Oh can anyone tell me about the food? I'm allergic to seafood, am I going to have a hard time finding food to eat? I'm more of a steak & potato or salad and burger kind of girl. I'm hoping I will be ok!!! I'm sure I will have no problem finding desserts! Thanks again everyone!!

A.Evans - you'll have NO TROUBLE finding seafood-free dishes. Just to be sure, though, when you check in ask to speak with the head chef - he'll give you a list of dishes to stay away from (some dishes that are meat based have sauces that may contain trace amounts of anchovies or other seafood). Also, don't expect the steaks to taste exactly like they do in the US, but you'll have ample choice (plus the veggies and especially fruits are just awesome)! We hope you enjoy your time at CSA - we just love the resort!

Oh, and FYI, the resort really isn't all that big - you can make it end to end in about 7 minutes (assuming you're mobile and able to walk at a normal pace). That being said, you may also want to figure in getting lost on the paths occasionally - this has happened to us a number of times, especially when we may have "overindulged!"

Oh wow awesome!!! Thanks so much gonegril. What do you mean about the steaks? Lol! Are they safe to eat? I'm really excited for our honeymoon! Everything is all booked up now so I'm non stop looking up everything on CSA! My fiancé is away for deployment and he won't be back till July then two months later we will be married and on our honeymoon!!! Thanks again everyone